Florida Milkvetch

Batidophaca obcordata (Ell.) Rydberg
Astragalus obcordatus Ell. Bot. S. C. & Ga. 2: 227. 1824. Astragalus FMiotlii D. Dietr. Syn. PI. 4: 1080. 1847. Tragacantha obcordata Kuntze, Rev. Gen. 946. 1891. Tium obcordatum Rydb.; Small, Fl. SE. U. S. 619, 1332. 1903.
A cespitose perennial, with a taproot; stems numerous, 1-3 dm. long, decumbent or prostrate, glabrous; leaves spreading, 3-12 cm. long, the rachis glabrous; stipules lanceolate, 2-3 mm. long; leaflets 15-27, obcordate, 2-10 mm. long, glabrous on both sides, cuneate at the base; peduncles 3—7 cm. long; racemes short, 1-2 cm. long, 6— 15-flowered; bracts lanceolate, 1-2 mm. long, shorter than the pedicels; calyx strigulose, the tube 3 mm. long, the teeth subequal, lanceolate, 2 mm. long; corolla white or purplish, 8-10 mm. long; banner obovate, rounded or slightly notched at the apex; wings slightly shorter, arcuate, the blade longer than the claw, semi-ovate, obtuse at the apex, with a large basal auricle; keel-petals about 7 mm. long, with shorter claw, the blade nearly semicircular, with a broad auricle; pod leathery, lance-lunate in outline, glabrous, cross-reticulate, acute at each end, 2-3 cm. long, 7-8 mm. wide, sulcate on the lower suture, acute on the upper, the cross-section cordate.
Type locality: Southern districts of Georgia, near St. Mary's.
Distribution: Florida and Georgia.

Perennial, Herbs, Stems woody below, or from woody crown or caudex, Plants with rhizomes or suckers, Nodules present, Stems erect or ascending, Stems or branches arching, spreading or decumbent, Stems less than 1 m tall, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs glabrous or sparsely glabrate, Stems or young twigs sparsely to densely hairy, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Stipules conspicuous, Stipules membranous or chartaceous, Stipules persistent, Stipules free, Leaves compound, Leaves odd pinnate, Leaf or leaflet margins entire, Leaflets opposite, Leaflets 10-many, Leaves hairy on one or both surfaces, Inflorescences racemes, Inflorescence axillary, Bracts very small, absent or caducous, Flowers zygomorphic, Calyx 5-lobed, Calyx hairy, Petals separate, Corolla papilionaceous, Petals clawed, Petals pinkish to rose, Petals blue, lavander to purple, or violet, Petals bicolored or with red, purple or yellow streaks or spots, Banner petal narrow or oblanceolate, Wing petals narrow, oblanceolate to oblong, Wing tips obtuse or rounded, Keel petals auriculate, spurred, or gibbous, Keel tips obtuse or rounded, not beaked, Stamens 9-10, Stamens diadelphous, 9 united, 1 free, Filaments glabrous, Style terete, Style persistent in fruit, F ruit a legume, Fruit stipitate, Fruit unilocular, Fruit humistrate, lying on the ground, Fruit tardily or weakly dehiscent, Fruit elongate, straight, Fruit oblong or ellipsoidal, Fruit strongly curved, falcate, bent, or lunate, Fruit exserted from calyx, Fruit beaked, Fruit glabrous or glabrate, Fruit 11-many seeded, Seeds cordiform, mit-shaped, notched at one end, Seed surface smooth, Seeds olive, brown, or black.